Marksmanship training is divided into two phases: preparatory
marksmanship training and range firing. Each phase may be divided into
separate instructional steps. All marksmanship training must be progressive.
Combat marksmanship techniques should be practiced after the basics have
been mastered.

Section I. BASIC MARKSMANSHIP

The main use of the pistol is to engage an enemy at close range with
quick, accurate fire. Accurate shooting results from knowing and correctly
applying the elements of marksmanship. The elements of combat pistol
marksmanship are:

Grip.

Aiming.

Breath control.

Trigger squeeze.

Target engagement.

Positions.

2-1. GRIP

A proper grip is one of the most important fundamentals of quick fire. The
weapon must become an extension of the hand and arm; it should replace the
finger in pointing at an object. The firer must apply a firm, uniform grip to
the weapon.

a. One-Hand Grip. Hold the
weapon in the nonfiring hand; form a V with the thumb and forefinger of the
strong hand (firing hand). Place the weapon in the V with the front and rear
sights in line with the firing arm. Wrap the lower three fingers around the
pistol grip, putting equal pressure with all three fingers to the rear. Allow
the thumb of the firing hand to rest alongside the weapon without pressure (Figure 2-1). Grip the weapon tightly until the hand begins to
tremble; relax until the trembling stops. At this point, the necessary pressure
for a proper grip has been applied. Place the trigger finger on the trigger
between the tip and second joint so that it can be squeezed to the rear. The
trigger finger must work independently of the remaining fingers.

NOTE:

If any of the three fingers on the grip are relaxed, the grip must be
reapplied.

Figure 2-1. One-hand grip.

b. Two-Hand Grip. The two-hand
grip allows the firer to steady the firing hand and provide maximum support
during firing. The nonfiring hand becomes a support mechanism for the firing
hand by wrapping the fingers of the nonfiring hand around the firing hand.
Two-hand grips are recommended for all pistol firing.

WARNING

Do not place the nonfiring thumb in the rear of the weapon. The recoil
upon firing could result in personal injury.

(1) Fist Grip. Grip the weapon as with the
one-hand grip. Firmly close the fingers of the nonfiring hand over the fingers
of the firing hand, ensuring that the index finger from the nonfiring hand is
between the middle finger of the firing hand and the trigger guard. Place the
nonfiring thumb alongside the firing thumb (Figure 2-2).

NOTE:

Depending upon the individual firer, he may chose to place the index
finger of his nonfiring hand on the front of the trigger guard since M9 and
M11 pistols have a recurved trigger guard designed for this purpose.

(2) Palm-Supported Grip. This
grip is commonly called the cup and saucer grip. Grip the firing hand as with
the one-hand grip. Place the nonfiring hand under the firing hand, wrapping the
nonfiring fingers around the back of the firing hand. Place the nonfiring thumb
over the middle finger of the firing hand (Figure 2-3).

c. Isometric Tension. The firer
raises his arms to a firing position and applies isometric tension. This is
commonly known as the push-pull method for maintaining weapon stability.
Isometric tension is when the firer applies forward pressure with the firing
hand and pulls rearward with the nonfiring hand with equal pressure. This
creates an isometric force but never so much to cause the firer to tremble. This
steadies the weapon and reduces barrel rise from recoil. The supporting arm is
bent with the elbow pulled downward. The firing arm is fully extended with the
elbow and wrist locked. The firer must experiment to find the right amount of
isometric tension to apply.

NOTE:

The firing hand should exert the same pressure as the nonfiring hand.
If it does not, a missed target could result.

d. Natural Point of Aim. The
firer should check his grip for use of his natural point of aim. He grips the
weapon and sights properly on a distant target. While maintaining his grip and
stance, he closes his eyes for three to five seconds. He then opens his eyes and
checks for proper sight picture. If the point of aim is disturbed, the firer
adjusts his stance to compensate. If the sight alignment is disturbed, the firer
adjusts his grip to compensate by removing the weapon from his hand and
reapplying the grip. The firer repeats this process until the sight alignment
and sight placement remain almost the same when he opens his eyes. With
sufficient practice, this enables the firer to determine and use his natural
point of aim, which is the most relaxed position for holding and firing the
weapon.

a. Sight alignment is the
centering of the front blade in the rear sight notch. The top of the front sight
is level with the top of the rear sight and is in correct alignment with the
eye. For correct sight alignment, the firer must center the front sight in the
rear sight. He raises or lowers the top of the front sight so it is level with
the top of the rear sight. Sight alignment is essential for accuracy because of
the short sight radius of the pistol. For example, if a 1/10-inch error is made
in aligning the front sight in the rear sight, the firer's bullet will miss the
point of aim by about 15 inches at a range of 25 meters. The 1/10-inch error in
sight alignment magnifies as the range increases—at 25 meters, it is magnified
150 times.

b. Sight placement is the
positioning of the weapon's sights in relation to the target as seen by the
firer when he aims the weapon (Figure 2-5). A correct
sight picture consists of correct sight alignment with the front sight placed
center mass of the target. The eye can focus on only one object at a time at
different distances. Therefore, the last focus of the eye is always on the front
sight. When the front sight is seen clearly, the rear sight and target will
appear hazy. The firer can maintain correct sight alignment only through
focusing on the front sight. His bullet will hit the target even if the sight
picture is partly off center but still remains on the target. Therefore, sight
alignment is more important than sight placement. Since it is impossible to hold
the weapon completely still, the firer must apply trigger squeeze and maintain
correct sight alignment while the weapon is moving in and around the center of
the target. This natural movement of the weapon is referred to as wobble area.
The firer must strive to control the limits of the wobble area through proper
grip, breath control, trigger squeeze, and positioning.

Figure 2-5. Correct sight alignment and sight picture.

c. Focusing on the front sight
while applying proper trigger squeeze will help the firer resist the urge to
jerk the trigger and anticipate the moment the weapon will fire. Mastery of
trigger squeeze and sight alignment requires practice. Trainers should use
concurrent training stations or have fire ranges to enhance proficiency of
marksmanship skills.

2-3. BREATH CONTROL

To attain accuracy, the firer must learn to hold his breath properly at
any time during the breathing cycle. This must be done while aiming and
squeezing the trigger. While the procedure is simple, it requires explanation,
demonstration, and supervised practice. To hold his breath properly, the firer
takes a breath, lets it out, then inhales normally, lets a little out until
comfortable, holds, and then fires. It is difficult to maintain a steady
position keeping the front sight at a precise aiming point while breathing.
Therefore, the firer should be taught to inhale, then exhale normally, and hold
his breath at the moment of the natural respiratory pause (Figure
2-6). Breath control, firing at a single target.) The shot must then be
fired before he feels any discomfort from not breathing. When multiple targets
are presented, the firer must learn to hold his breath at any part of the
breathing cycle (Figure 2-7). Breath control must be
practiced during dry-fire exercises until it becomes a natural part of the
firing process.

Figure 2-6. Breath control, firing at a single target.

Figure 2-7. Breath control, firing at timed or multiple
targets.

2-4. TRIGGER SQUEEZE

Improper trigger squeeze causes more misses than any other step of
preparatory marksmanship. Poor shooting is caused by the aim being disturbed
before the bullet leaves the barrel of the weapon. This is usually the result of
the firer jerking the trigger or flinching. A slight off-center pressure of the
trigger finger on the trigger can cause the weapon to move and disturb the
firer's sight alignment. Flinching is an automatic human reflex caused by
anticipating the recoil of the weapon. Jerking is an effort to fire the weapon
at the precise time the sights align with the target. For more on problems in
target engagement, see paragraph 2-5.

a. Trigger squeeze is the
independent movement of the trigger finger in applying increasing pressure on
the trigger straight to the rear, without disturbing the sight alignment until
the weapon fires. The trigger slack, or free play, is taken up first, and the
squeeze is continued steadily until the hammer falls. If the trigger is squeezed
properly, the firer will not know exactly when the hammer will fall; thus, he
will not tend to flinch or heel, resulting in a bad shot. Novice firers must be
trained to overcome the urge to anticipate recoil. Proper application of the
fundamentals will lower this tendency.

b. To apply correct trigger
squeeze, the trigger finger should contact the trigger between the tip of the
finger and the second joint (without touching the weapon anywhere else). Where
contact is made depends on the length of the firer's trigger finger. If pressure
from the trigger finger is applied to the right side of the trigger or weapon,
the strike of the bullet will be to the left. This is due to the normal hinge
action of the fingers. When the fingers on the right hand are closed, as in
gripping, they hinge or pivot to the left, thereby applying pressure to the left
(with left-handed firers, this action is to the right). The firer must not apply
pressure left or right but should increase finger pressure straight to the rear.
Only the trigger finger should perform this action. Dry-fire training improves a
firer's ability to move the trigger finger straight to the rear without cramping
or increasing pressure on the hand grip.

c. Follow-through is the
continued effort of the firer to maintain sight alignment before, during, and
after the round has fired. The firer must continue the rearward movement of the
finger even after the round has been fired. Releasing the trigger too soon after
the round has been fired results in an uncontrolled shot, causing a missed
target.

(1) The firer who is a good
shot holds the sights of the weapon as nearly on the target center as possible
and continues to squeeze the trigger with increasing pressure until the weapon
fires.

(2) The soldier who is a bad
shot tries to "catch his target" as his sight alignment moves past the target
and fires the weapon at that instant. This is called ambushing, which causes
trigger jerk.

NOTE:

The trigger squeeze of the pistol, when fired in the single-action
mode, is 5.50 pounds; when fired in double-action mode, it is 12.33 pounds.
The firer must be aware of the mode in which he is firing. He must also
practice squeezing the trigger in each mode to develop expertise in both
single-action and double-action target engagements.

2-5. TARGET ENGAGEMENT

To engage a single target, the firer applies the method discussed in
paragraph 2-4. When engaging multiple targets in combat, he
engages the closest and most dangerous multiple target first and fires at it
with two rounds. This is called controlled pairs. The firer then traverses and
acquires the next target, aligns the sights in the center of mass, focuses on
the front sight, applies trigger squeeze, and fires. He ensures his firing arm
elbow and wrist are locked during all engagements. If he has missed the first
target and has fired upon the second target, he shifts back to the first and
engages it. Some problems in target engagement are as follows:

a. Recoil Anticipation. When a
soldier first learns to shoot, he may begin to anticipate recoil. This reaction
may cause him to tighten his muscles during or just before the hammer falls. He
may fight the recoil by pushing the weapon downward in anticipating or reacting
to its firing. In either case, the rounds will not hit the point of aim. A good
method to show the firer that he is anticipating the recoil is the
ball-and-dummy method (see paragraph 2-14).

b. Trigger Jerk. Trigger jerk
occurs when the soldier sees that he has acquired a good sight picture at center
mass and "snaps" off a round before the good sight picture is lost. This may
become a problem, especially when the soldier is learning to use a flash sight
picture (see paragraph 2-7b).

c. Heeling. Heeling is caused
by a firer tightening the large muscle in the heel of the hand to keep from
jerking the trigger. A firer who has had problems with jerking the trigger tries
to correct the fault by tightening the bottom of the hand, which results in a
heeled shot. Heeling causes the strike of the bullet to hit high on the firing
hand side of the target. The firer can correct shooting errors by knowing and
applying correct trigger squeeze.

2-6. POSITIONS

The qualification course is fired from a standing, kneeling, or crouch
position. During qualification and combat firing, soldiers must practice all of
the firing positions described below so they become natural movements. Though
these positions seem natural, practice sessions must be conducted to ensure the
habitual attainment of correct firing positions. Practice in assuming correct
firing positions ensures that soldiers can quickly assume these positions
without a conscious effort. Pistol marksmanship requires a soldier to rapidly
apply all the fundamentals at dangerously close targets while under stress.
Assuming a proper position to allow for a steady aim is critical to survival.

NOTE:

During combat, there may not be time for a soldier to assume a
position that will allow him to establish his natural point of aim. Firing
from a covered position may require the soldier to adapt his shooting stance
to available cover.

a. Pistol-Ready Position. In
the pistol-ready position, hold the weapon in the one-hand grip. Hold the upper
arm close to the body and the forearm at about a 45-degree angle. Point the
weapon toward target center as you move forward (Figure 2-8).

b. Standing Position without
Support. Face the target (Figure 2-9). Place feet a
comfortable distance apart, about shoulder width. Extend the firing arm and
attain a two-hand grip. The wrist and elbow of the firing arm are locked and
pointed toward target center. Keep the body straight with the shoulders slightly
forward of the buttocks.

c. Kneeling Position. In the
kneeling position, ground only your firing-side knee as the main support (Figure 2-10). Vertically place your firing-side foot, used
as the main support, under your buttocks. Rest your body weight on the heel and
toes. Rest your nonfiring arm just above the elbow on the knee not used as the
main body support. Use the two-handed grip for firing. Extend the firing arm,
and lock the firing-arm elbow and wrist to ensure solid arm control.

d. Crouch Position. Use the
crouch position when surprise targets are engaged at close range (Figure 2-11). Place the body in a forward crouch (boxer's
stance) with the knees bent slightly and trunk bent forward from the hips to
give faster recovery from recoil. Place the feet naturally in a position that
allows another step toward the target. Extend the weapon straight toward the
target, and lock the wrist and elbow of the firing arm. It is important to
consistently train with this position, since the body will automatically crouch
under conditions of stress such as combat. It is also a faster position from
which to change direction of fire.

e. Prone Position. Lie flat on
the ground, facing the target (Figure 2-12). Extend your
arms in front with the firing arm locked. (Your arms may have to be slightly
unlocked for firing at high targets.) Rest the butt of the weapon on the ground
for single, well-aimed shots. Wrap the fingers of the nonfiring hand around the
fingers of the firing hand. Face forward. Keep your head down between your arms
and behind the weapon as much as possible.

f. Standing Position with
Support. Use available cover for support—for example, a tree or wall to stand
behind (Figure 2-13). Stand behind a barricade with the
firing side on line with the edge of the barricade. Place the knuckles of the
nonfiring fist at eye level against the edge of the barricade. Lock the elbow
and wrist of the firing arm. Move the foot on the nonfiring side forward until
the toe of the boot touches the bottom of the barricade.

g. Kneeling Supported Position.
Use available cover for support—for example, use a low wall, rocks, or vehicle (Figure 2-14). Place your firing-side knee on the ground.
Bend the other knee and place the foot (nonfiring side) flat on the ground,
pointing toward the target. Extend arms alongside and brace them against
available cover. Lock the wrist and elbow of your firing arm. Place the
nonfiring hand around the fist to support the firing arm. Rest the nonfiring arm
just above the elbow on the nonfiring-side knee.

Figure 2-14. Kneeling supported.

Section II. COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP

After a soldier becomes proficient in the fundamentals of marksmanship, he
progresses to advanced techniques of combat marksmanship. The main use of the
pistol is to engage the enemy at close range with quick, accurate fire. In
shooting encounters, it is not the first round fired that wins the engagement,
but the first accurately fired round. The soldier should use his sights when
engaging the enemy unless this would place the weapon within arm's reach of the
enemy.

2-7. TECHNIQUES OF FIRING

Firing techniques include the use of hand-and-eye coordination, flash
sight picture, quick-fire point shooting, and quick-fire sighting.

a. Hand-and-Eye Coordination.
Hand-and-eye coordination is not a natural, instinctive ability for all
soldiers. It is usually a learned skill obtained by practicing the use of a
flash sight picture (see paragraph b below). The more a soldier practices
raising the weapon to eye level and obtaining a flash sight picture, the more
natural the relationship between soldier, sights, and target becomes.
Eventually, proficiency elevates to a point so that the soldier can accurately
engage targets in the dark. Each soldier must be aware of this trait and learn
how to use it best. Poorly coordinated soldiers can achieve proficiency through
close supervision from their trainers. Everyone has the ability to point at an
object. Since pointing the forefinger at an object and extending the weapon
toward a target are much the same, the combination of the two are natural.
Making the soldier aware of this ability and teaching him how to apply it
results in success when engaging enemy targets in combat.

(1) The eyes focus
instinctively on the center of any object observed. After the object is sighted,
the firer aligns his sights on the center of mass, focuses on the front sight,
and applies proper trigger squeeze. Most crippling or killing hits result from
maintaining the focus on the center of mass. The eyes must remain fixed on some
part of the target throughout firing.

(2) When a soldier points, he
instinctively points at the feature on the object on which his eyes are focused.
An impulse from the brain causes the arm and hand to stop when the finger
reaches the proper position. When the eyes are shifted to a new object or
feature, the finger, hand, and arm also shift to this point. It is this inherent
trait that can be used by the soldier to engage targets rapidly and accurately.
This instinct is called hand-and-eye coordination.

b. Flash Sight Picture.
Usually, when engaging an enemy at pistol range, the firer has little time to
ensure a correct sight picture. The quick-kill (or natural point of aim) method
does not always ensure a first-round hit. A compromise between a correct sight
picture and the quick-kill method is known as a flash sight picture. As the
soldier raises the weapon to eye level, his point of focus switches from the
enemy to the front sight, ensuring that the front and rear sights are in proper
alignment left and right, but not necessarily up and down. Pressure is applied
to the trigger as the front sight is being acquired, and the hammer falls as the
flash sight picture is confirmed. Initially, this method should be practiced
slowly, with speed gained as proficiency increases.

c. Quick-Fire Point Shooting.
This is for engaging an enemy at less than 5 yards and is also useful for night
firing. Using a two-hand grip, the firer brings the weapon up close to the body
until it reaches chin level. He then thrusts it forward until both arms are
straight. The arms and body form a triangle, which can be aimed as a unit. In
thrusting the weapon forward, the firer can imagine that there is a box between
him and the enemy, and he is thrusting the weapon into the box. The trigger is
smoothly squeezed to the rear as the elbows straighten.

d. Quick-Fire Sighting. This
technique is for engaging an enemy at 5 to 10 yards away and only when there is
no time available to get a full picture. The firing position is the same as for
quick-fire point shooting. The sights are aligned left and right to save time,
but not up and down. The firer must determine in practice what the sight picture
will look like and where the front sight must be aimed to hit the enemy in the
chest.

2-8. TARGET ENGAGEMENT

In close combat, there is seldom time to precisely apply all of the
fundamentals of marksmanship. When a soldier fires a round at the enemy, he
often does not know if he hits his target. Therefore, two rounds should be fired
at the target. This is called controlled pairs. If the enemy continues to
attack, two more shots should be placed in the pelvic area to break the body's
support structure, causing the enemy to fall.

2-9. TRAVERSING

In close combat, the enemy may be attacking from all sides. The soldier
may not have time to constantly change his position to adapt to new situations.
The purpose of the crouching or kneeling 360-degree traverse is to fire in any
direction without moving the feet.

a. Crouching 360-Degree
Traverse. The following instructions are for a right-handed firer. The two-hand
grip is used at all times except for over the right shoulder. The firer remains
in the crouch position with feet almost parallel to each other. Turning will be
natural on the balls of the feet.

(1) Over the Left Shoulder (Figure 2-15): The upper body is turned to the left, the
weapon points to the left rear with the elbows of both arms bent. The left elbow
is naturally bent more than the right elbow.

(2) Traversing to the Left (Figure 2-16): The upper body turns to the right, and the
right firing arm straightens out. The left arm is slightly bent.

(3) Traversing to the Front (Figure 2-17): The upper body turns to the front as the left
arm straightens out. Both arms are straight forward.

(4) Traversing to the Right (Figure 2-18): The upper body turns to the right as both
elbows bend. The right elbow is naturally bent more than the left.

Figure 2-15. Traversing over the left shoulder.

Figure 2-16. Traversing to the left.

Figure 2-17. Traversing to the front.

Figure 2-18. Traversing to the right.

(5) Traversing to the Right
Rear (Figure 2-19): The upper body continues to turn to
the right until it reaches a point where it cannot go further comfortably.
Eventually the left hand must be released from the fist grip, and the firer will
be shooting to the right rear with the right hand.

Figure 2-19. Traversing to the right rear.

b. Kneeling 360-Degree
Traverse. The following instructions are for right-handed firers. The hands are
in a two-hand grip at all times. The unsupported kneeling position is used. The
rear foot must be positioned to the left of the front foot.

(1) Traversing to the Left Side
(Figure 2-20): The upper body turns to a comfortable
position toward the left. The weapon is aimed to the left. Both elbows are bent
with the left elbow naturally bent more than the right elbow.

(2) Traversing to the Front (Figure 2-21): The upper body turns to the front, and a
standard unsupported kneeling position is assumed. The right firing arm is
straight, and the left elbow is slightly bent.

(3) Traversing to the Right
Side (Figure 2-22): The upper body turns to the right as
both arms straighten out.

(4) Traversing to the Rear (Figure 2-23): The upper body continues to turn to the right
as the left knee is turned to the right and placed on the ground. The right knee
is lifted off the ground and becomes the forward knee. The right arm is
straight, while the left arm is bent. The direction of the kneeling position has
been reversed.

(5) Traversing to the New Right
Side (Figure 2-24): The upper body continues to the
right. Both elbows are straight until the body reaches a point where it cannot
go further comfortably. Eventually, the left hand must be released from the fist
grip, and the firer is shooting to the right with the one-hand grip.

Figure 2-24. Traversing to the new right side, kneeling.

c. Training Method. This method
can be trained and practiced anywhere and, with the firer simulating a two-hand
grip, without a weapon. The firer should be familiar with firing in all five
directions.

2-10. COMBAT RELOADING TECHNIQUES

Overlooked as a problem for many years, reloading has resulted in many
casualties due to soldiers' hands shaking or errors such as dropped magazines,
magazines placed in the pistol backwards, or empty magazines placed back into
the weapon. The stress state induced by a life-threatening situation causes
soldiers to do things they would not otherwise do. Consistent, repeated training
is needed to avoid such mistakes.

NOTE:

These procedures should be used only in combat, not on firing ranges.

a. Develop a consistent method
for carrying magazines in the ammunition pouches. All magazines should face down
with the bullets facing forward and to the center of the body.

b. Know when to reload. When
possible, count the number of rounds fired. However, it is possible to lose
count in close combat. If this happens, there is a distinct difference in recoil
of the pistol when the last round has been fired. Change magazines when two
rounds may be left—one in the magazine and one in the chamber. This prevents
being caught with an empty weapon at a crucial time. Reloading is faster with a
round in the chamber since time is not needed to release the slide.

c. Obtain a firm grip on the
magazine. This precludes the magazine being dropped or difficulty in getting the
magazine into the weapon. Ensure the knuckles of the hand are toward the body
while gripping as much of the magazine as possible. Place the index finger high
on the front of the magazine when withdrawing from the pouch. Use the index
finger to guide the magazine into the magazine well.

d. Know which reloading
procedure to use for the tactical situation. There are three systems of
reloading: rapid, tactical, and one-handed. Rapid reloading is used when the
soldier's life is in immediate danger and the reload must be accomplished
quickly. Tactical reloading is used when there is more time and it is desirable
to keep the replaced magazine because there are rounds still in it or it will be
needed again. One-handed reloading is used when there is an arm injury.

(1) Rapid Reloading.

(a) Place your hand on the next
magazine in the ammunition pouch to ensure there is another magazine.

(b) Withdraw the magazine from
the pouch while releasing the other magazine from the weapon. Let the replaced
magazine drop to the ground.

(c) Insert the replacement
magazine, guiding it into the magazine well with the index finger.

(d) Release the slide, if
necessary.

(e) Pick up the dropped
magazine if time allows. Place it in your pocket, not back into the ammunition
pouch where it may become mixed with full magazines.

(2) Tactical Reloading.

(a) Place your hand on the next
magazine in the ammunition pouch to ensure there is a remaining magazine.

(b) Withdraw the magazine from
the pouch.

(c) Drop the used magazine into
the palm of the nonfiring hand, which is the same hand holding the replacement
magazine.

(d) Insert the replacement
magazine, guiding it into the magazine well with the index finger.

(e) Release the slide, if
necessary.

(f) Place the used magazine
into a pocket. Do not mix it with full magazines.

(3) One-Hand Reloading, Right
Hand.

(a) Push the magazine release
button with the thumb.

(b) Place the safety ON with
the thumb if the slide is forward.

(c) Place the weapon backwards
into the holster.

NOTE:

If placing the weapon in the holster backwards is a problem, place
the weapon between the calf and thigh to hold the weapon.

(d) Insert the replacement
magazine.

(e) Withdraw the weapon from
the holster.

(f) Remove the safety with the
thumb if the slide is forward, or push the slide release if the slide is back.

(4) One-Hand Reloading, Left
Hand.

(a) Push the magazine release
button with the middle finger.

(b) Place the weapon backwards
into the holster.

NOTE:

If placing the weapon in the holster backwards is a problem, place
the weapon between the calf and thigh to hold the weapon.

(c) Insert the replacement
magazine.

(d) Remove the weapon from the
holster.

(e) Remove the safety with the
thumb if the slide is forward, or push the slide release lever with the middle
finger if the slide is back.

2-11. POOR VISIBILITY FIRING

Poor visibility firing with any weapon is difficult since shadows can be
misleading to the soldier. This is mainly true during EENT and EMNT (a half hour
before dark and a half hour before dawn). Even though the pistol is a
short-range weapon, the hours of darkness and poor visibility further decrease
its effect. To compensate, the soldier must use the three principles of night
vision.

a. Dark Adaptation. This
process conditions the eyes to see during poor visibility conditions. The eyes
usually need about 30 minutes to become 98-percent adapted in a totally darkened
area.

b. Off-Center Vision. When
looking at an object in daylight, a person looks directly at it. However, at
night he would see the object only for a few seconds. To see an object in
darkness, he must concentrate on it while looking 6 to 10 degrees away from it.

c. Scanning. This is the short,
abrupt, irregular movement of the firer's eyes around an object or area every 4
to 10 seconds. When artificial illumination is used, the firer uses night fire
techniques to engage targets, since targets seem to shift without moving.

NOTE:

For more detailed information on the three principles of night
vision, see FM 21-75.

2-12. NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL FIRING

When firing a pistol under NBC conditions, the firer should use optical
inserts, if applicable. Firing in MOPP levels 1 through 3 should not be a
problem for the firer. Unlike wearing a protective mask while firing a rifle,
the firer's sight picture will be acquired the same as without a protective
mask. MOPP4 is the only level that may present a problem for a firer since
gloves are worn. Gloves may require the firer to adjust his grip to attain a
proper grip and proper trigger squeeze. Firers should practice firing in MOPP4
to become proficient in NBC firing